Razor with slow motion reciprocating blade and hydraulic actuating means



H. A. SWAN 2,904,882 I H SLOW MOTION RECIPROCATING E D HYDRAULIC ACTUATING MEANS RAZ BL Sept. 22, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 14, 1957 INVENTOR.

HAROLD A.SWAN

120mm m United States Patent RAZOR WITH SLOW MOTION RECIPROCATING BLADE AND HYDRAULIC ACTUATING MEANS Harold A. Swan, Coronado, Calif.

Application August 14, 1957, Serial No. 678,156

11 Claims. (CI. 30-42) This invention relates generally to razors and more particularly to a safety razor characterized by a relatively slowly reciprocating blade. It has been proposed by others that the blade of a razor will be mechanically more effective in its cutting action if the blade is made to move in a direction parallel to its cutting edge at the same time as the blade is advanced in a direction normal to the cutting edge. It is believed that no razor utilizing this principle, to date, has enjoyed popular acceptance. The present invention seeks to overcome the difficulties encountered in prior developments in this field and this has been accomplished by the use of a hydraulic actuator housed in the handle and head of the razor and so constituted that the reciprocatory movement is not only perfectly controlled but is relatively slow, so that the danger of cutting the skin is minimized while the benefit of an oblique cutting movement is retained.

It is the primary object of this invention, therefore, to provide in a safety razor, means making it completely arbitrary on the part of the user as to whether the reciprocatory motion is imparted to the blade. This makes it possible for the optional reciprocatory motion, as forv example during the shaving of the larger unobstructed areas of the face and, at the users option the non-employment of the reciprocatory cutting motion while the upper lip and/ or tender neck areas are being shaved. In carrying out this object it is believed to be quite critical that the speed of reciprocation should not be great and a razor constructed according to this invention is safe or substantially foolproof against rapid reciprocation of the blade, since the blade moves in one direction only during any single manual compression of the handle and moves in the reverse direction only when the pressurizing grip on the handle is released.

Another object of this invention is to provide a safety razor, featured by a reciprocating blade wherein the actuator for the blade is entirely enclosed within the handle and head of the razor, and this handle is retained in a most acceptable configuration and the possibility of the actuating mechanism being injured by intrusion of moisture and other materials into the mechanism is practically obviated.

Another object of this invention is to provide a razor of the aforementioned general character which requires virtually no upkeep or repair during long periods of use, since the moving parts are designed to function satisfactorily without close tolerances being maintained in any portion of the mechanism. It is an ancillary object to provide such a razor wherein the original cost of manufacture and assembly is moderate.

Another object of this invention is to provide a razor of the character mentioned which is adaptable for use with various types of blades and blade guards so that the razor is fitted for diverse uses.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, partie- Patented Sept. 22, 1959 ularly pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a central vertical cross-sectional view of the completely assembled razor, the blade and blade holder being shown in what may be considered the position of rest and disposed toward the left side of the figure;

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an isometric view of the assembled razor;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view, similar to the corresponding part of Figure l and showing the blade holder in a second position with parts of the actuating mechanism in corresponding positions;

Figure 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the irregular section line 5-5 in Figure 1, this section line extending centrally from the top of Figure l to a point intermediate of the piston and being laterally offset to coincide with the inner wall of one of the wells provided in the head for the hereinafter described U-shaped strap, so that the shape and mounting means for said U-shaped strap is more adequately represented;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view of a razor having incorporated therein a slightly modified form of this invention wherein a roller-guided semi-flexible push bar is substituted for the bell crank of the preferred form;

Figure 7 is a similar view of another modified form of this invention wherein a similar semi-flexible push bar is employed and guided in a curved channel in a plastic'block; and

Figure 8 is a similar fragmentary view of a still further modified form of this invention wherein the motion of the piston is transmitted to the blade holder by means of an inflexible push bar.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the different figures in the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, this razor is constituted of three principal assemblies, the handle, generally indicated by the numeral 10, the head, generally indicated by the numeral 12 and the blade holder, generally indicated by the numeral 14. Of course, the other essential part is the razor blade 16 which is conventional and replaceable. Various types of such blades can be incorporated in this invention without material modification thereof. The three assemblies will hereinafter be described in detail, in the order named.

The handle is a hollow cylinder defined by a flexible resilient wall 18, the cross-sectional shape being preferably circular. An end cap 20 closes what may be considered the lower end of the hollow handle, this cap being provided with an annular seat 22 for the end of the Wall 18 and the cap and the wall must be retained in sealed relation either by being tightly fitted together or by other suitable means. The wall 18 will ordinarily be constructed of plastic and the cap 20 is probably best constructed of a somewhat harder plastic material. The cap has a central boss 24 extending inwardly into the handle and afill block 26 is screwed into this central boss. The other end of the handle is provided with an inwardly projecting, annular flange 28, and screws 39, or the equivalent, together with an apertured clamp plate 32, are used to attach the handle 18 to the head 12.

The head 12 employs a base portion 36, into which said screws 30 are entered. .The head also includes a neck portion 38, the externally irregular configuration of which is best illustrated in Figure 3, and the head has a platform portion 40 adjacent the pair of wells 42 extending from what will be considered the upper end of the head to points adjacent the base 36. These wells are in diametrically opposed relation and extend longitudinally of the head, the cross-sectional shape of the wells may be rectangular as best illustrated in Figure 2. A U-shaped strap 44 is disposed with the legs thereof extending into the wells 42 and the U-shaped strap is provided with looped ends 46 through which pivot pins 48 extend, these pins 48 being disposed transversely of the neck portions, as best illustrated in Figure 5, the same figure showing the relative width of the U-shaped strap and wells and showing how the said pivot pins are terminally supported in the head. The U-shaped strap has a bight portion 50 saddling that part of the head between the wells 42 and this bight portion is received in a locating groove 52 in the underside of the blade holder 14.

The actuating mechanism for the razor includes an expandable, resilient member hereinafter referred to simply as the bulb 54, the base portion 56 thereof being apertured to receive a grommet 58 having a head which engages the said base portion 56 and a threaded shank upon which a lock washer and nut 60* are tightened to hold the bulb 54 in sealed relation with the clamp plate 32. The top portion 62 of the bulb is represented as normally generally flat and this bulb or at least the said top portion thereof constitutes a pressure-sensitive element operating within the bore 64 of the head.

A piston 66 continually contacts the top portion 62 of the bulb and is provided with a rigid piston rod 68 reciprocable in a reduced bore 70. An annular spring recess 72 houses a coiled spring 74 which is arranged coaxiallyof the piston rod 68 and compressed between the piston 66 and the end of the annular spring recess 72. To transmit the motion of the piston rod 70 to the blade holder 14, I provide a bell crank 76 mounted on a pivot pin 78 which extends throughout the major portion of a bore provided therefor in the head 12, the disposition of this pin being readily understood from an inspection of Figures 1 and 5. A contact plate 80 is fixed to the bight portion 50 and is moved by the bell crank when the piston is moved in response to upward expansion of the top portion 62 of the bulb when fluid 8 2 is forced from A the handle into this bulb. It will of course be understood that manual pressure, achieved by movement of one or more of the fingers of the hand holding the handle 10, will be used to cause such flow of the fluid 82, which will ordinarily be an oil or some other liquid of suitable character. A spring 84 is compressed between a portion of the U-shaped strap 44 remote from the contact plate 80 and a stop 86 in fixed relation in the head. This stop is preferably an integral portion of the head as indicated in the drawings.

Coming now to the blade holder 14, this assembly including a body member 90 which is centrally recessed on its underside or which may be considered as having depending end flanges 92 and depending lateral flanges 94, the latter being best illustrated in Figure 5. On its upper side the body member is provided with an upstanding lip 96 extending longitudinally and centrally thereof and dimensioned to enter the central slot conventionally provided in double-edged safety razor blades such as that indicated at 16. The blade holder also includes a razor blade clamp plate 98 which is pivoted at one end as at 100 and which has a snap clip 102 at the other end for engagement with a projection 104 on one of the end flanges 92. A flexible resilient gasket 106 is packed into the space between the flanges 92 and 94 and the adjacent portions of the head 12. This gasket 106 will ordinarily be constructed of sponge rubber or the like and is effective in preventing intrusion of moisture and other materials into the actuating mechanism ofthe razor. Blade guards 108, illustrated in Figure 3 only, are disposed in operative relation to the cutting edges of the razor blade 16, these blade guards 108 having inturned attachment flanges 110 which fit snugly into slots 112 extending throughout the major portion of the length of the body member 90. It will be noted that these slots 112, as best illustrated in Figure 5, are coincident with the bore for the pivot pin 78. Therefore, the inturned attachment flanges function as keepers to hold the pivot pin 78 in place.

Figure 6 illustrates a modified form of this invention wherein the piston rod is foreshortened as illustrated at 122 and a semi-flexible push bar 124 has one end thereof inserted in the pistonrod 122 and the other end in engagement with thecontact plate 126. The contact plate 126 is, like the prior described contact plate 80, rigidly fixed to the bight portion 50. Apairof guide rollers 128 are mounted on pins secured in the head 12 and disposed so as to retain the intermediate portion of the push bar 124 against inward flexing, so that the motion of the piston rod 122 is transmitted to the U-shaped strap of the blade holder 14.

Another modified form of this invention is illustrated in Figure 7, the same semi-flexible push bar 124 being used but in this form of the invention the push bar is guided by a block 130 having a curved channel 132 defined therein to receive the push bar 124. The block 130 may be constructed from two complementary sections of plastic, or the like, held together by dowels 134, and one or more of these dowels may be used to secure the block 130 in fixed relation to the head 12. A contact plate 136 is secured to an adjacent portion of the U-shaped strap 44 to prevent deformation of the same at the point contacted by the push bar 124. In this connection, it should be noted that the U-shaped strap should have smoothly curved portions at the juncture of the bight portion 50 and the leg portions of the strap to prevent undue localization of the bending moment.

Finally, a still further modification is illustrated in Figure 8, wherein the piston rod is elongated as indicated at 138 and an inflexible push bar 140 is employed to transmit the motion of the piston to the U-shaped strap 144 of the blade holder. A contact plate 142 is secured, as before, to the U-shaped strap and the push bar 140 has one end engaging this contact plate, the other end being engaged in a notch 144 in the piston rod 138.

In each of the above described forms of this invention, the pressure of the fluid 82 is employed to move the blade holder 14 in one direction, and the springs 74 and 84 are relied upon to efiect the return movement of the blade holder. However, the return movement as well as the first mentioned movement will not be unduly rapid since the return movement is regulated by the speed at which the pressure on the fluid is decreased by relaxation of the finger grip. As explained above, this results in a completely controlled relatively slow reciprocation of the blade 16 at all times. It goes without saying that such reciprocation can be totally dispensed with at the option of the user and that this is probably desirable during portions of a shaving operation.

Further minor variation may occur to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains and the foregoing description and drawings should be considered as illustrative rather than limiting.

What I do claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A safety razor comprising: a handle having a head fixed thereon; a blade holder having means for mounting the same on said head for reciprocation relative thereto; a razor blade operatively mounted in said holder and having an exposed cutting edge parallel to-the direction of said reciprocation; and a hydraulic actuator entirely enclosed by said handle and head and operatively connected with said blade holder to reciprocate the blade holder; said handle being hollow with a flexible resilient wall defining a chamber for fluid for said actuator, said actuator is operated by manually collapsing said wall.

2. A safety razor comprising: a handle having a head fixed thereon; a blade holder having means for mounting the same on. said head for reciprocation relative thereto;

a razor blade operatively mounted in said holder and having an exposed cutting edge parallel to the direction of said reciprocation; and a hydraulic actuator entirely enclosed by said handle and head and operatively connected with said blade holder to reciprocate the blade holder; said actuator including fluid pressure-sensitive means to move said holder in one direction, and a spring operatively mounted to move said blade holder in the opposite direction; whereby a slow and steady reciprocation of the blade is easily achieved.

3. A safety razor comprising: a handle having a head fixed thereon; a blade holder having means for mounting the same on said head for reciprocation relative thereto; a razor blade operatively mounted in said holder and having an exposed cutting edge parallel to the direction of said reciprocation; and a hydraulic actuator entirely enclosed by said handle and head and operatively connected with said blade holder to reciprocate the blade holder; said handle being hollow with a flexible resilient wall defining a chamber for fluid for said actuator, whereby said actuator is operated by manually collapsing said wall; said actuator including an element moved by hydraulic fluid pressure in one direction when said wall is collapsed, mechanical activating means connected between said element and said blade holder, a spring opera tively mounted to move said blade holder in the opposite direction, and highly flexible and resilient gaskets between said blade holder and head to seal said head against entry thereinto of moisture and other matter, thereby protecting said linkage against fouling.

4. A razor according to claim 3 wherein said element is a part of a bulb in communication with said chamber and capable of expansion by said fluid pressure; a piston responsive to said expansion, said actuating means comprising a bell-crank operatively mounted to transmit movement of said piston to said blade holder.

5. A razor according to claim 3 wherein said element is a part of a bulb in communication with said chamber and capable of expansion by said fluid pressure; a piston responsive to said expansion, said actuating means comprising a semi-flexible link operatively connecting said piston with said blade holder, and means for frictionally supporting said link intermediate the ends thereof.

6. A razor according to claim 5 wherein the last mentioned means is a pair of rollers mounted in said head on opposite sides of and contacting said link.

7. A razor according to claim 5 wherein the last mentioned means is a block having a curved channel therein, said link extending through said channel and supported by said block.

8. A safety razor comprising: a handle having a head thereon; a U-shaped strap having a bight portion and having its ends pivotally mounted in said head for movement about parallel, spaced axes; said U-shaped strap being slightly resilient; means to reciprocate said bight portion; a blade holder fixed to said bight portion; and a blade in said blade holder and having an exposed cutting edge extending parallel to the direction of reciprocation of the blade holder.

9. A razor according to claim 8 wherein said blade holder is also supported by said bight portion; said head having portions constituting stop guides for said blade holder in its reciprocatory movement.

10. A razor according to claim 8 wherein said head has portions constituting stop guides for said blade holder in its reciprocatory movement; and highly flexible and resilient gaskets between said stop guides and said blade holder to seal said head against entry thereinto of moisture and other matter.

11. A razor according to claim 8 wherein said means to reciprocate comprises a manually operated hydraulic actuator with a piston and mechanical actuating means to move said bight portion from one position to a second position; a spring compressed between a portion of said U-shaped strap and an adjacent portion of said head to return said bight portion to said one position; and a second spring biasing said piston to move in one direction and functionally complementary to the first mentioned spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

